Wood Safe Pivot Lube?

C

Cyber_Demigod

Joined
May 1, 2016
Messages
128
So I have a new Opinel and it is not warped but is just a pain to get open without pliers and a cloth. I don't want to throw any oils, powders, or other lubes into it because I am worried the wood will soak it up and warp, or the powder will become abrasive to the wood.

Any "Wood safe" pivot lubes that will not absorb, decay, loosen, soften, or damage the wood in any way?
Am I just being overly cautious and paranoid?

Also
Has anybody ever inserted washers into their Opinel before?
 
If you want a lubricant, try a "dry" spray lube called Elmer's Slide All. But if you think the wood is swollen from humidity, put the knife in a zip lock bag with rice (uncooked, need I add?) overnight. If you happen to have some silica packets that come with electronics, put it in a bag with them, instead.

Last resort, I may be able to trade you one that moves well for yours if they are alike. I like tinkering with them.

Zieg
 
Cyber_Demigod said:
So I have a new Opinel and it is not warped but is just a pain to get open without pliers and a cloth. I don't want to throw any oils, powders, or other lubes into it because I am worried the wood will soak it up and warp, or the powder will become abrasive to the wood.

Any "Wood safe" pivot lubes that will not absorb, decay, loosen, soften, or damage the wood in any way?
Am I just being overly cautious and paranoid?

Also
Has anybody ever inserted washers into their Opinel before?
Click to expand...

Maybe a little bit. ;)

Unless you DRENCH it in oil and then keep it drenched for a very long time (years), you're never going to harm it at all. Absorption of water will do much more harm in the long run, as that eventually fosters dry rot, or swelling, warping or cracking. In moderation, oiling the pivot won't harm the wood.

For just the pivot, keeping it relatively clean will do more good than most anything else. Over-oiling adds an additional risk, in that it may cause the pivot to collect more dirt than usual, leaving it sticky or gummy. The pivot on an Opinel really doesn't need oiling anyway, as there won't be any danger of excessive wear between the wood and the steel of the blade, so long as it doesn't collect too much dirt/grit.

You can seal the wood to help protect against moisture, by using a polymerizing oil/finish such as boiled linseed oil, Danish oil or polyurethane. If yours is hard to open, due to swelling of the wood, this might be worth considering. The swelling might be reduced in the near-term by heating the knife in a dry environment, such as a just-warm oven (=< 200°F) with the door left open a bit, to bake off excess moisture in the wood. If you live in a humid environment, this would only be a temporary fix, until the humidity causes it to swell again, or until a sealer is applied.


David
 
There's an easy fix. Melt some hard floor wax with a heat gun or hair dryer into the blade slot (Johnson's, for instance), work it around the entire knife. This seals the wood and also lubes the lock ring. I did this on an Opinel #8 Carbon I picked up on a holiday with our kids and granddaughter in Paris last year and it hasn't stuck since.
 
I live in Oregon, The Opinel is a Brand New Opinel Slate Gray Origins Number 8

The Opinel probably isn't swollen from humidity yet since it is new, but who knows how they store it.
Are Opinels easy to reassemble?
I would really love to seal it with a clear coat of polycrylic or something - just for safety purposes and it is a kind of upgrade if you think about it.
Maybe even some plasti dip clear on the outside too after the clear coat to add some grip

I know all about dirt collecting with oil, I really prefer to use DRY lubricants only, unless absolutely necessary to use another. Like in a survival emergency or something.
I keep all of my knives immaculately clean, like cleaner than a sealed surgical instrument clean.


Thanks for all the input guys. Really loving this forum already, so much nicer than some gun forums I have been on, where everyone there treats you like an idiot just because you asks questions about enhancing guns in weird ways.
If I want to turn a 200$ Handgun into a 1500 dollar one with upgrades, what's wrong with that :P

I want to put Nylatron washers into the Opinel pivot, actually. I really have never taken an Opinel apart. I did polish the blade a bit with flitz, that brushed steel kind of look still in it though.
DO I need certain tools?


Unrelated note
As well how do I take apart knives held together by like pins or rivets or whatever those half sphere ends are?
 
Last edited:
As far as lubrication goes, Ed has one of the better ideas. The floorwax smooths things up and as a bonus seals the wood in that area to keep any moisture out in the future. Even if you want to put in the washers, this would be a good treatment to do to the whole knife to seal it, which will prevent it from pinching on you later. I've also seen where people have disassembled the opinel and soaked the handle in boiled linseed or tung oil for a while. The oil displaces all of the air pockets in the handle, so water has no where to go.

As far as the half sphere thing, that sounds like a rivet. You should be able to grind it off until flat and punch it through.
 
What about reassembly?
Also, what if I did a clear coat of Polyurethane? Would that work like the wax at all, or better? Maybe even put a Nylatron washer or something on their (there is no washer between the mating surfaces of wood and metal that I can see) to smooth it out and help guarantee some moving action room.
 
The problem with pulling Opinels apart the way you're suggesting is that you end up over-engineering a knife that is meant to be as simple as it is. Every solution you mention is to a problem that doesn't really exist. In your case, there seems to be a real problem in that you simply can't open the knife. That's something best resolved by an exchange for a replacement. The knife was probably peened too hard at the factory. You start dismantling the knife and inserting washers and the like, you may end up with a chop job and wish you'd kept it simple. Now, you could drill out the pivot, sand out the channel a bit, see how it swings, then replace the pin with another, but that's as far as you should go, in my experience.

I'm glad you like Bladeforums! I think you've found the most welcoming bunch of knife folks online. I'm also glad you like Opinels! I'm a serious fan of them, myself. Tinkering with them will become a addiction, so get ready to support the habit $20 to $30 dollars at a time!

Zieg
 
I know I run a risk of over engineering and working on a simple knife. I would not do it if I could not replace it.
I like to be able to fix things my self, rather than rely on replacement/warranty. It develops skill and develops a real personal relationship with each and every knife I work on. I feel better and more connected with knives and guns and tools that I created, repaired, or modified my self - does that make any sense? I just get satisfaction out of it.

I would not over extend my capabilities however, if I feel that my current level of expertise, knowledge, and my current tools are not up to the task, I won't go for it because then I end up with a knife that is only good for parts or DIY knife creation, and chances are the warranty has been voided to hell and back.

I also would like to document the process of adding nylatron washers to an Opinel possibly, if nobody has done it here before, it could be a learning experience not just for me but others, as to how well it works, where my mistakes might happen.

I do have a micrometer and I could measure and make sure I don't squeeze in something that just won't fit. For my first full opinel modification I might just seal the wood or something. Wax or something to lubricate the wood area on the pivot.
Or I might send it in like you suggest.

Thanks!
 
Cyber_Demigod said:
I know I run a risk of over engineering and working on a simple knife. I would not do it if I could not replace it.
I like to be able to fix things my self, rather than rely on replacement/warranty. It develops skill and develops a real personal relationship with each and every knife I work on. I feel better and more connected with knives and guns and tools that I created, repaired, or modified my self - does that make any sense? I just get satisfaction out of it.

I would not over extend my capabilities however, if I feel that my current level of expertise, knowledge, and my current tools are not up to the task, I won't go for it because then I end up with a knife that is only good for parts or DIY knife creation, and chances are the warranty has been voided to hell and back.

I also would like to document the process of adding nylatron washers to an Opinel possibly, if nobody has done it here before, it could be a learning experience not just for me but others, as to how well it works, where my mistakes might happen.

I do have a micrometer and I could measure and make sure I don't squeeze in something that just won't fit. For my first full opinel modification I might just seal the wood or something. Wax or something to lubricate the wood area on the pivot.
Or I might send it in like you suggest.

Thanks!
Click to expand...

Great explanation! Given all that, I say you should go for it. You may find something that we should all know about. Keep us in the loop as to how it's going. :thumbup:

Zieg
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top